Ping He Fu felt oddly empty despite the few hundred men that reported for duty.
Perhaps it was just me. Zheng had entered the Palace with Yi Liang, Matron Ji and Eunuch Cui. The loneliness that I managed to stave off with the girls at Sui Yu Lou returned with full force.
I stood at the entrance of Ping He Fu, staring up at the sky. The day was clear; no clouds in the sky.
"Milady, you will catch a cold. Please come back inside," Qin was pleading behind me, but I only tightened Zheng's scarf around my neck.
"Don't worry. My body is hardier than you think. Let me stand here for a while longer, alright?"
It had been five days since Nian Zhen left. She should be in the capital by now. Had she found Father and handed my family the letters I entrusted to her?
It must be cold there too. How much longer would she take before coming back?
The niggling worry just wouldn't go away. As the winter got into its coldest few weeks, the people began shutting their doors.
